Handbook Autumn / Winter 2021-22 - Cove Park

Handbook
Autumn / Winter 2021-22

Welcome

This Handbook has been produced for use before and during your stay.
Please read it ahead of your residency. It should be read alongside the
COVID-19 Residents Guidance supplied with this document.

If you have any questions in advance of your visit, please contact a member
of the team via email.

Introduction

Based on an outstanding 50-acre site on Scotland's west coast, Cove Park
offers a breath-taking rural location just 60 minutes from Glasgow by road or
rail.

Eileen and Peter Jacobs founded Cove Park in 1999 as a charity and
international resource dedicated to artistic excellence and the professional
development of individuals and groups working within the arts and creative
industries. Cove Park operates an annual programme of residencies that
support individuals whose ideas, work and working practices are of high
quality and are at a key stage of their careers. Residencies are developed
through partnerships with organisations in the arts, education and cultural
sectors in Scotland, the UK and abroad.

Aims and Ethos

The aims of the programmes at Cove Park are:

  − To provide individuals with time, space and freedom to undertake
    significant research, develop their practice/s and ideas, and/or produce
    new work.

  − To provide a programme of residencies and activities to facilitate
    collaboration, exchange, networking and dialogue between individuals
    and across art forms.

  − To promote exchange between the arts, encompassing the visual arts,
    performance, creative and critical writing, music, theatre, film and
    video, photography and crafts; the creative industries including the
    fields of design, architecture, media, communications and digital
    technology; and the academic and scientific sectors.

  − To work in partnership with key individuals and organisations within
    Scotland, the UK and internationally, to ensure that Cove Park
    maintains a transnational profile and that residents are able to benefit
    from its network and knowledge.

− To ensure that Cove Park continues to develop, engage and involve a
    breadth of audiences and participants in its activities, including
    practitioners, theoreticians, experts and non-experts.

  − To ensure that Cove Park remains a site of outstanding natural beauty.

The Jacobs Building

The Jacobs Building will be open 24 hours and staffed between 9.00 and
17.00 Monday to Friday. The housekeeping team will be on site each morning
to clean the Jacobs Building.

You can access the Jacobs Building outside of office hours by using the
communal key. This will be shown to you on arrival.

Wi-fi is available throughout the building.

Kitchen

The kitchen will be available for use . While preparing food please have a
maximum of two people in the kitchen at one time. We would also ask that
doors are kept open for ventilation.

All areas of the Jacobs Building should be left tidy and clean after use;
cleaning spray will be left in the kitchen. All dishes should be washed in the
dishwasher to ensure that they are sanitised for the next person to use.
Cooking facilities are available in all accommodation units.

Workspace

There are various works spaces in the in the Jacobs Building and we ask that
you wipe them down after use.

Telephone and IT Facilities

Landline telephones are not provided within the accommodation units. We
ask that you bring a mobile with you. Please let us know if you don’t have
one ahead of your arrival, allowing us to make one available. Due to our
geographical location mobile reception varies by network provider but most
residents can access 4G in their accommodation units.

Wi-Fi is only available in the Jacobs Building. Being in a rural location, we do
not have access to super-fast broadband, so it isn’t always possible to use
Zoom or FaceTime, or to stream video content.

Library

Cove Park has a library that comprises a collection of arts publications,
journals, reference material and fiction, much of which has been generously
donated by other arts organisations and previous residents. We are always
happy to receive donations.

You are welcome to make use of the collection whilst on residency but we
ask that you follow the new system in which ‘used’ items are placed into a
box to allow a period of quarantine.

Laundry

A washing machine and tumble dryer are available for residents’ use. We
also provide fabric detergent and softener. The laundry can be accessed
13.00-16.00 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday [the housekeeping
team make use of it all day on Monday and each morning]. We have a room
in the Jacobs Building where clothes can be hung to dry.

Accommodation

Residents are allocated one of three types of self-catering accommodation:

  1 The Pods (Oak and Taransay)
    Both Pods have two en-suite bedrooms. Oak has a large kitchen and
    lounge that is shared by both bedrooms. Taransay has one (shared)
    lounge and two self-contained kitchenettes. All kitchens contain a
    microwave, hob, pots and pans, a kettle, fridge and toaster. Oak Pod
    has two double bedrooms; Taransay has two bedrooms which can be set
    up as double or twin rooms. The Pods featured in the BBC series
    Castaway and were moved from the Hebridean Island of Taransay to
    Cove Park in 2000.

  2 The Cubes
    The six Cubes each have an open plan bedroom, mini-kitchen with a
    microwave, electric hobs, pots and pans, a kettle, fridge and toaster ,
    lounge with desk and shower-room. The Cubes were devised by the
    London-based company Urban Space Management and are constructed
    from recycled freight containers. They provide spectacular views over
    Loch Long. The cubes are insulated and contain electric radiators. All
    cubes offer double beds and a sofa bed.

  3 The Jacobs Building Units
    Adjoining our Jacobs Building are two newer bedrooms with
    kitchenettes and en-suite bathrooms. One of the rooms is wheelchair
    accessible. One contains a double bed, while the other offers a day bed
    that can be used as single or king; each bedroom contains a work desk,
    kitchenette with a microwave, hob, pots and pans, toaster, kettle and
    fridge.

Both have adjoining studios, which are reserved in conjunction with the
     accommodation.

Bed linen is provided but please bring your own towels. We provide toilet roll
but ask you to bring all other toiletries.

Other items you may want to bring with you include:
  – Radio
  – Torch
  – Waterproof clothing/wellingtons/walking boots
    (weather conditions can change quickly).

The accommodation is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before each
resident’s arrival. On departure, we ask that you:

  – Vacate by 10am (late check-out cannot be accommodated because of
    the cleaning and disinfecting required).
  – Leave a small window open, if you have one in your accommodation
    (please don’t leave a door propped open).
  – Leave the key for your accommodation in the door.
  – Remove all food from your accommodation.
  – Take all general waste and recycling up-site to the bins beside the
    Jacobs Building or down-site outside the Barbour Road gate.
  – Place all bed linen, bathmats, tea towels etc. in the red bin bag
    provided and tie. Please leave the bag within the accommodation.
  – Let us know of any breakages or faults in the accommodation.
  – Ensure that any heaters or towel radiators are switched off.

The Site

Cove Park comprises 50 acres of land and was previously a conservation park.
Within the park there are a number of points of interest including a bridge
by former resident Richard la Trobe Bateman (2001). It is important to note
that the site has a wildness that enhances its beauty. This means that p aths
can be uneven, roads a little bumpy and livestock (sheep) sometimes roam
free.

The Jacobs Building, main car park and two accommodation units (one of
which is accessible) with adjoining studios are located at the top of the site
and the remainder of the accommodation and studios are located lower
down the hill (a couple of minutes’ walk). There is one path, which is lit by
solar lights, and an unclassified road that runs through the site.

Cove Park’s 4x4 vehicle will be available to you during your residency if you
have a full driving license and are over 25. If you are driving to us, it is

possible to park down site and you may wish to do this in order to easily get
your luggage to your accommodation unit. Alternatively, please be prepared
to travel light or to make multiple trips between the car park drop off and
your accommodation.

Supermarkets deliver to the Jacobs Building, rather than individual
accommodation units.

Studios

Cove Park has three private studios – 1, 2 and 3 (approx. 26m sq), with two
additional studios (4 and 5) available to those using the bedrooms adjoining
the Jacobs Building. All have good natural and artificial lighting. Studios 4
and 5 have partial black out. The studios are ideal as a general workspace.
Workspace is agreed in advance and is allocated to meet the specific needs
of each individual or group.

The Nissen Hut

The Nissen Hut is provided as a large workshop space for use by artists on
site. We display guidelines within the workshop and ask that you follow
them, to ensure your safety and the safety of others. We also provide
personal protective equipment, such as dust masks and eye protection, and a
first aid kit within the workshop.

Please note: Although Cove Park has a selection of basic tools, residents
should bring their own specialised equipment and are responsible for insuring
their own items. Please notify staff of any potentially dangerous equipment
that you are bringing on site.

If you are bringing chemicals or other hazardous materials or substances on
site, please alert staff, so that we can ensure that they are stored safely.

Safety and Security on Site

There are a few cautions as to the use of the site. Cove Park has sheep and
two Highland cows as well as some unusual plants. Gates on the path
between the Jacobs Building and accommodation down-site should be closed
behind you.

The terrain is rough and only the main route (a footpath) between the
accommodations and the Jacobs Building is lit at night. Please use caution at
all times when out and about (particularly during times of bad weather).
Please ensure you walk on the chicken wire when on wooden surfaces,
particularly when the weather is wet. We do have third party insurance but
we cannot accept responsibility for residents’ neglect of these cautions.

We endeavour to have a First Aid trained member of staff onsite during office
hours. There is typically no trained first aider available during the evenings
and weekends. There is a fully stocked first aid kit in the kitchen within the
Jacobs Building. All accidents or injuries should be communicated to the staff
team to allow the accident book to be completed appropriately.

There is a defibrillator attached to the external wall of Studio 5 beside the
Jacobs Building. There is also a fully stocked first aid kit in the workshop
(Nissen Hut).

All accommodation units detail our Fire Action Plan. All units include a fire
extinguisher, fire blanket and emergency whistle. Please prioritise your own
safety and only tackle a fire if safe to do so. If you evacuate your
accommodation or studio, and if possible, use the whistle to alert others on
site. The muster point is by the bins in the car park at the Jacobs Building.
We test the fire alarm every Tuesday morning.

If you are keeping a car on site, please park it on the gravel area near to the
Jacobs Building or down-site beside Cube F or Oak Pod.

Toilets

We are not on mains sewage and so rely upon septic tanks. They are not as
sturdy as a mains system so please ensure that no foreign objects such as
sanitary waste, tampons or cotton pads or buds are flushed.

Keys

Please arrive at the Jacobs Building. We will then direct you to your
accommodation, which will be open for you. We provide one set of keys for
each unit. If you have any questions concerning security on site please
contact a member of staff directly.

Cove Park has property insurance cover but is not responsible for your
personal valuables or any equipment you bring with you. The office has
temporary secure space for small items (cameras etc.) if required.

Inventory and Maintenance

We would be grateful if you could return borrowed or moved items (between
accommodation and studio, for instance) and if you could report any
breakages, damage etc. to staff before your departure. In the unlikely event
that serious damage is done, the resident bears full responsibility for repair
and/or replacement.

If anything in your accommodation requires maintenance whilst you are on
residency, please call the office during office hours [01436 850500] or the

member of staff who is on call. We may need to ask you to vacate the
accommodation whilst maintenance is being carried out.

Guest Policy

At present we allow visitors to site, however, all visitors must follow the
same guidance for COVID-19 lateral flow testing as found on our website. We
cannot at present allow overnight visitors to stay in the same room unless
from the same household.

Unless your pet is instrumental to your access needs, we ask you to come
alone. The site includes livestock and our accommodation units are not set
up for pets.

No Smoking Policy

Cove Park operates a no smoking policy in all of its buildings. We request
that residents smoke away from the Jacobs Building and avoid smoking at
the main entrance to the building.

Meals and Catering

All accommodation is self-catering. We recommend that residents bring food
with them on their day of arrival. Some local shops and farms deliver to the
Jacobs Building at Cove Park, as do Asda, Morrisons and Tesco (see websites
below). However, it can be difficult to secure an on-line slot at present so
we encourage you to do this well in advance of your residency.

Refuse

Bins for general waste and recycling are located next to the gates at the top
of the site. Rubbish is collected on Tuesday mornings. We take recycling
seriously and would like to ask you to please recycle as much as you can:
Paper, cardboard, hard plastic (no film or bags), glass and cans should all be
recycled. If you are staying in one of the Pods, you will be able to separate
your food waste as well. Cove Park is a member of the Green Arts Initiative.

Shopping

Cove Park is a ten-minute drive from local shops in the villages of Cove,
Kilcreggan and Rosneath, and is twenty minutes’ drive from the town of
Helensburgh.

Local amenities include:

  – Ardardan Farm Shop (delivery available)
    https://ardardan.co.uk/ardardan-shop

– Cove Country Store
    https://covecountrystorescotland.com

  – Gingerbread Man Bakery (delivery to Cove Country Store;
    order on Tuesday for delivery the following Saturday)
    https://www.facebook.com/The-Ginger-Breadman-217795868344449

  – K Walkers Butchers, Kilcreggan
    https://www.facebook.com/kwalkersbutchers

  – Co-op Grocery Store, Rosneath
    https://www.uk.coop/directory/co-operative-food-rosneath

  – Bank of Scotland, Kilcreggan
    https://branches.bankofscotland.co.uk/helensburgh/shore -road

  – Boots Chemist, Kilcreggan
    https://www.boots.com/stores/5219-kilcreggan-shre-road-g84-0jh

  – Cove Community Library (at Cove Burgh Hall)
    https://coveburghhall.org.uk/what-s-on/community/cove-community-
    library

  – Eureka Hardware Store, Garelochhead
    01436 810134

  – Kilcreggan Post Office
    https://www.kilcregganpostoffice.co.uk

  – Needle and Anchor hardware, Rosneath
    01436 831928

  – Raymond Grieve Builder’s yard
  https://www.raymondgrieve.co.uk

  Crust on a bike
    100% authentic sourdough, made in Kilcreggan and delivered locally (on
    a Friday) by cargo bike. Call Petrina on 07719962544 to order. The
    delivery route is currently limited to Kilcreggan and to Cove Burgh Hall,
    but local collection can be arranged.

The nearest petrol station is in Garelochhead or, if travelling north, in
Arrochar.

Helensburgh has branches of the main banks and building societies as well as
Morrisons, Tesco, Co-op, Boots and WH Smith. Helensburgh also has a small
art store and a larger DIY store.

A fish van visits Kilcreggan every Tuesday morning (and is parked outside the
Terrace Café from approximately 11am).

Food and Drink

There are lots of options for food and drink (most of which require a car).
Opening hours may be subject to change, so please contact directly before
making a journey. Here are a few suggestions:

  –   Café at Kilcreggan, Kilcreggan
  –   Harvest Moon Deli, Clynder
  –   Knockderry House Hotel, Cove
  –   Loch Fyne Oyster Bar, Cairndow
  –   The Creggans Bar, Kilcreggan
  –   The Perch Café, Garelochhead
  –   Riverhill Café, Bar and Restaurant, Helensburgh
  –   Sugar Boat, Helensburgh

Transport

From Glasgow by Train:

Trains run every half hour between Glasgow Queen Street and Helensburgh
Central. From there you can take a taxi to Cove Park, ca. 20 min / £30.

Alternatively, trains run from Glasgow Central to Gourock where a passenger
ferry service crosses the Clyde to Kilcreggan (10 mins by taxi to Cove Park).
Tickets are purchased on the ferry (credit and debit cards now accepted).

http://www.thetrainline.com
https://www.calmac.co.uk/destinations/kilcreggan-rosneath

From Glasgow International Airport:

Glasgow International Airport is served by most of the main operators with
flights to over 100 destinations around the world. The airport is 45 minutes’
drive from Cove Park.

Alternatively, trains run from Paisley Gilmour Street railway station, which is
10 minutes by shuttle from Glasgow Airport, to Gourock, allowing you to
connect with the passenger ferry. From Glasgow Airport take shuttle to
Paisley Gilmour Street Station. At Gourock follow the signs to the Dunoon

Ferry/Ferry Terminal building but be mindful to take the Kilcreggan ferry
(and not the one for Dunoon).

The passenger ferry to Kilcreggan leaves the quay just before you reach the
terminal and tickets can be purchased on board. The ferry schedule changes
every six months and it is advisable to check the times on the CalMac
website [details above] or phone 0800 066 5000.

The ferry does not cross in poor weather or high winds. We recommend that
you always check the ferry twitter page @CalMac_Updates before setting
out.

Directions by Car:

  –   On M8, go west through Glasgow
  –   Cross Erskine Bridge going North
  –   Take A 82 signed Crianlarich
  –   Keep going along Loch Lomondside
  –   Take A 817 signed Garelochhead
  –   Drive 20 mins to roundabout
  –   Take road signed Arrochar
  –   Drive one mile to second roundabout
  –   Take road signed (in red) Coulport
  –   After 4.4 miles turn left immediately after sign ‘Accident Blackspot’
  –   At T-junction next to Nature Reserve turn right
  –   Cove Park is 300 yards on the left

General Transport:

The peninsula is serviced by a regular and reliable bus service run by
Wilson’s of Rhu. The bus enables residents without a car to travel to the
local villages. Bus drivers will accept payment by card or exact fare if paying
with cash. Timetables for the bus service, are available here
http://www.wilsonsofrhu.co.uk/local_services.html and from the office.

Cove Park Team

Lyn Barr, Housekeeper

Francesca Bertolotti-Bailey, CEO
francesca@covepark.org

Alison Cochrane, Housekeeper

Karen Dalgleish, Housekeeper

Sarah Frood, Director of Facilities
Sarah@covepark.org

Rona Grierson, Operations Manager (maternity cover)
rona@covepark.org

Caitlin Hegney, Engagement Assistant
caitlin@covepark.org

Emma Henderson, Curator of Engagement
emma@covepark.org

Alexia Holt, Senior Director of Programmes
alexia@covepark.org

Catrin Kemp, Director of Partnerships & Business Development
catrin@covepark.org

Kerrie MacQueen, Finance & Operations Manager (maternity leave)
kerrie@covepark.org

Nichola White, Housekeeper

Main Office

Cove Park
Peaton Hill, Cove
Argyll and Bute G84 0PE
Scotland

Office: (+44) 01436 850500
E-mail: information@covepark.org
Web: www.covepark.org

The office will be staffed Monday – Friday, 09.00 – 17.00.

Other Contact Numbers

Call 999 in a medical emergency. This is when someone is seriously ill or
injured and their life is at risk.

Call 111 if you have an urgent medical problem and you are not sure what to
do. Please call this number only out of hours when you cannot reach a local
general practitioner or dentist.

Coronavirus Covid-19

Please refer to the resident guidance for specific information.

Doctors

Dr Donal Murray, Kilcreggan Medical Centre, Fort Road, Kilcreggan, 01436
842156. The surgery is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 8am –
6pm. On Tuesday it is open 8am – 1pm. After 1pm cover is provided by
Garelochhead Medical Centre (01436 810370). It is closed on Saturdays and
Sundays. If you need medical advice outside of surgery hours, please call
NHS on 111.

Dentist

There is no dentist on the peninsula. The nearest dental surgeries are in
Helensburgh. In an emergency contact NHS on 111.

Taxis

John Gallagher, 07887 423121

We hope this handbook helps to make your stay as welcoming and
comfortable as possible.